Latest news with #AICenterofExcellence
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Plug and Play to Launch AI Center of Excellence in San Jose
SAN JOSE, Calif., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Plug and Play, the ultimate innovation platform with over 60 locations around the world, is launching its San Jose location on April 2, 2025. This launch marks Plug and Play's first AI Center of Excellence, an initiative designed to accelerate digital transformation in artificial intelligence. With San Jose being its first AI Center of Excellence, the global company will work with Knight Foundation, PG&E, the City of San Jose, Glean, Turing, KPMG LLP, San Jose State University and U.S. Bank to connect entrepreneurs, corporate partners, and academia to foster AI innovation, literacy, and economic growth. "AI is transforming industries. Our AI Center of Excellence in San Jose will provide startups with opportunities to lead that change. Our goal is to create environments where innovation in AI can grow, and businesses can scale quickly with the support of a global network," said Saeed Amidi, Founder and CEO of Plug and Play. The launch next month will bring together industry leaders to discuss AI's impact, emerging trends, and opportunities for collaboration. The invite-only event will feature insights from executives, investors, and policymakers and will highlight how Plug and Play's AI Centers of Excellence will drive innovation and economic growth across the AI industry. "We're excited to help bring an AI Center for Excellence into the downtown to grow the emerging AI startup cluster that already exists here," said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. "Our metro area produces more AI patents per capita and has more new AI-related jobs than any other metro in the country — it just makes sense that downtown San Jose, especially with San Jose State University's presence here, will only grow as a critical hub for the next generation of innovators." This initiative will also help San Jose become a leader in innovation, building on its strong track record of patents. By partnering with local businesses and educational institutions, the center will attract startups and talent, further strengthening the city's position as a hub for innovation. "Investing in the AI Center of Excellence will help cultivate the next wave of tech entrepreneurs in San Jose — particularly in downtown — creating jobs, fostering economic mobility and driving innovation in AI," said Allan Madoc, San Jose Program Director at Knight Foundation. "Sustainable economic growth relies on developing a skilled workforce, with cross-collaboration ensuring local talent evolves with emerging industries." As AI continues to reshape industries worldwide, there is an increasing demand for innovative solutions that drive growth and improve efficiency. Plug and Play's AI Center of Excellence initiative seeks to transform regions into recognized AI leaders by establishing strategic hubs that connect local innovation with global opportunities. "Through this partnership and the creation of an AI Center of Excellence, we are going to be supporting the next generation of innovation and tapping into talent that can help us meet the energy transition needs of the future," said Teresa Alvarado, Vice President for PG&E's South Bay and Central Coast region. Following the San Jose launch, Plug and Play plans to expand its AI Centers of Excellence to additional cities worldwide, with Seattle already announced as the next hub. This expansion will continue to promote innovation and facilitate global collaboration in the AI space. Startup applications for the first program are now open. For more information about the San Jose AI Center of Excellence, details for startups interested in joining the program, or requests for office space applications, please visit: About Plug and PlayPlug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we're present in 60+ locations across five continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we've invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. For more information, visit For media inquiries about the initiative, please contact Jacky Tsang (press@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Plug and Play Sign in to access your portfolio
Zawya
29-01-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Imdaad unveils AI center of excellence to revolutionize operational excellence
Dubai: Imdaad, a Dubai-based group of companies providing integrated and sustainable facilities management services that enhance the operational efficiency of physical assets, has announced the launch of its AI Center of Excellence (AICoE), marking a pivotal step toward driving innovation and digital transformation. Established under the IT department and managed by a team of industry experts, the center is dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence, robotic process automation, and business intelligence within the organization. This groundbreaking initiative underscores Imdaad's commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies and redefining industry benchmarks within the region's Facilities Management (FM) sector. Commenting on the launch of the state-of-the-art facility, Abdullatif Almulla, Chairman of Imdaad Group, said: "The establishment of the AI Center of Excellence represents a significant milestone in our success story and reinforces our vision to spearhead innovation in the FM sphere. Through this endeavor, we aim to elevate operational excellence, reduce costs, and create long-term value for our stakeholders. This achievement solidifies Imdaad's leadership and positions us at the forefront of digital transformation in the dynamic industry." The AICoE offers an integrated suite of AI-powered solutions designed to transform operations and enhance efficiency. Its advanced AI and Business Intelligence dashboards deliver actionable insights into financial and operational metrics, empowering data-driven decision-making across all organizational levels. AI agents, integrated with ERP, CRM and field service operations, optimize core processes such as Employee Self-Service, Expense Management, and Recruitment, while Microsoft 365 Copilot streamlines routine tasks for senior management and marketing teams. Complementing these innovations, IoT solutions enable real-time asset monitoring and seamless integration with facilities management systems. Additionally, the center deploys 24/7 software robots to automate recurring tasks, significantly reducing operational costs and minimizing human error while enhancing service delivery. The launch of the AICoE is the result of a collaborative effort with global technology leaders, which involved months of intensive training sessions, workshops, and knowledge-sharing forums, equipping Imdaad with the expertise to lead in a future driven by digital intelligence. Looking ahead, the AICoE serves as both a milestone and a launchpad for future growth. With plans to unveil additional AI-powered tools and services in the coming weeks, Imdaad is poised to lead the region's FM sector into a new era of technological innovation. About Imdaad: Imdaad is a Dubai-based group of companies that provides integrated, sustainable facilities management services that enhance operational efficiencies of physical assets. Established in 1987, the company was later rebranded as Imdaad in 2007. The FM major's suite of complete turnkey solutions includes Integrated FM, Hard FM, and Home-Pro, as well as Environmental Services such as solid waste and wastewater management and power rentals. In addition, Imdaad's intelligent platform for facilities management, Imtedaad, provides real-time insights on the performance and trends of interconnected assets and ecosystems to offer recommendations for predictive maintenance and corrective actions. Headquartered in Dubai, Imdaad's regional presence today includes site offices, branches and joint ventures across the UAE, Oman and Egypt. Owing to its personalized business model that is based on providing cost-effective and sustainable services, Imdaad has grown to become the partner of choice for customers in a variety of industries. The company's multi-cultural workforce comprises more than 9,000 skilled employees, representing over 45 nationalities.
Al Bawaba
29-01-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Imdaad Unveils AI Center of Excellence to Revolutionize Operational Excellence
Imdaad, a Dubai-based group of companies providing integrated and sustainable facilities management services that enhance the operational efficiency of physical assets, has announced the launch of its AI Center of Excellence (AICoE), marking a pivotal step toward driving innovation and digital under the IT department and managed by a team of industry experts, the center is dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence, robotic process automation, and business intelligence within the organization. This groundbreaking initiative underscores Imdaad's commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies and redefining industry benchmarks within the region's Facilities Management (FM) on the launch of the state-of-the-art facility, Abdullatif Almulla, Chairman of Imdaad Group, said: "The establishment of the AI Center of Excellence represents a significant milestone in our success story and reinforces our vision to spearhead innovation in the FM sphere. Through this endeavor, we aim to elevate operational excellence, reduce costs, and create long-term value for our stakeholders. This achievement solidifies Imdaad's leadership and positions us at the forefront of digital transformation in the dynamic industry."The AICoE offers an integrated suite of AI-powered solutions designed to transform operations and enhance efficiency. Its advanced AI and Business Intelligence dashboards deliver actionable insights into financial and operational metrics, empowering data-driven decision-making across all organizational levels. AI agents, integrated with ERP, CRM and field service operations, optimize core processes such as Employee Self-Service, Expense Management, and Recruitment, while Microsoft 365 Copilot streamlines routine tasks for senior management and marketing these innovations, IoT solutions enable real-time asset monitoring and seamless integration with facilities management systems. Additionally, the center deploys 24/7 software robots to automate recurring tasks, significantly reducing operational costs and minimizing human error while enhancing service launch of the AICoE is the result of a collaborative effort with global technology leaders, which involved months of intensive training sessions, workshops, and knowledge-sharing forums, equipping Imdaad with the expertise to lead in a future driven by digital intelligence. Looking ahead, the AICoE serves as both a milestone and a launchpad for future growth. With plans to unveil additional AI-powered tools and services in the coming weeks, Imdaad is poised to lead the region's FM sector into a new era of technological innovation.
